Mechanical clutch follow-up device



19 H. F. \ncKERs 9 m MECHANICAL CLUTCH FOLLOW-UP DEVICE Feb. 16, l

Filed Aug. 5, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l INV NTOR. wi arry 'F llers Big/WM? ATTORNEY 5 ZJHLCW Web, W, W43. H. F. VICKERS MECHANICAL CLUTCH FOLLOW-UP DEVICE Filed Aug. 5, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. wzrrc 7"." Mike rs B ATTORNEYJ application Ant 5, 1939, Se

6 Claims.

invention relates to a mechanical clutch 'ioliow-up device and has particularly to do with a control in which the rotation of a powered output shaft is proportional in speed and direction to the rotation applied at a manual control.

An object oi the invention is to provide a rugged follow-up device which is so constructed that there is little opportunity for failure of parts. a further object of the invention has to do with a connection between the manual input shalt and the power control unit so arranged that hydraulic or electric power may be used in the control.

Other objects and features of the invention having to do with details of construction and operation, will be brought out in the following description and claims.

in the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional view of the device in which the entire control is mechanical.

Fig. '2 is a plan view of a portion of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, i and 5 are sectional views taken on lines and 5i, respectively, oi Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified type oi control utilizing the fundamental principles oi the invention in connection with a hydraulic sial device. I

Fig. l is a mechanism similar to that shown in Fig. 6 utilizing an electrical signal.

Heierring'to Fig. l, a motor [I drives a shaft ii on which is mounted a heel ii. An overload clutch it connects the shaft of the motor to a driving shaft ii on which is mounted a power gear it. A similar gear i6 is connected to the shaft it through beveled gears ll so that gears ii and it rotate at equal speeds in opposite directions. A spring Ilia urges splined clutch member lib in engagement with member lie so that a definite loading may be borne by clutch ii. A mwer output shaft is shown at it arranged to control the movement of a mass is and a manual control shaft is is arranged to be operated by hand-wheels i l The power output shaft ii is axially connected with a tubular member it which slidably receives a. cylindrical member ii. The shaft it is splined to the member it so that there may be a relative sliding movement between it and it but no relative rotation. Relative rotation between the shaft ill and the tubular memher it is limited by a yieldable connection shown in section in Fig.5. This connection consists oi a transverse tapered bar it keyed to shaft 20 and received in a transverse slot it in an enlarged portion it of the tubular member ii. Op-

(UH. Ii-38%) ers iii, mounted in the transverse portion it have rounded ends bearing upon the sides of the slot The power from oppositely rotating gears it audit is who furnished to shaft 3 through clutch devices shown at 23 and 29. These clutch devices consist of outer ring gears 30 and ti, each of which are connected to friction discs i2, and inner clutch collars i3 and it, each of which are connected to friction discs 35. Collars i6 and 31, respectively, are used to engage the friction disc to cause engagement of the clutches. Inner clutch collars ii and it are connected operatively with the tube 22 by freewheeling mechanisms Ma and Mia, shown in section in Fig. 3.

Rigidly mounted transversely through member ii is a pin it which is provided at each end with rollers it. This pin passes through helical slots til (Fig. 2) which are formed in the tubular member ii. The rollers it are adaptedto bear against the inner surfaces of clutch engaging members it and ii. Springs ii urge these two clutch engaging members toward each other and to a non-engagement position. Sleeves it serve as hearing members for inner collars 33 and it and the clutch engagement rings or members it and ii. 7

Referring to the operation of the device. as-

suming that motor ii is operating in the direction shown by the arrows, the gears ii andii will be rotating at equal speeds in opposite directions and as long as the manual input shaft it is stationary, the output shaft It will be stationary.

Movement of the hand shaft 20 in the direction of the arrow will take up the yieldable connection between the shaft it and the tubular member 22 and cause a relative rotation therebetwecn.

This relative rotation will shift the pin it in the helical slots it and cause an axial movement of the pin and the member 23 with respect to the tubular member 22. In other words, the helical slots it act in the manner of a screw. The moveposltely positioned pairs of spring pressed plungh m m W in the directmn Wn y the end with clutch engaging sleeve 15.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, many of the elements are the same as described in connection with Fig. l. The motor it drives the shaft H and a flywheel if and clutch it connects the empowering gears it and it which drive, respectively, theclutch ring gears tilland 3i.

Clutches 23a and 253s are slightly modified from those previously described in that the inner clutch members 33a and S te are keyed directly to the output shaft file. The clutches are en" gaged by the engagement collars lit and ill which are actuated by a sleeve member at slidably mounted on the shaft we.

The input shaft 20 in this embodiment is connected through the yieldable connection, previously described and shown in section in Fig. 5, to a gear collar ill which is mounted in a suitable bearing ll and which engages a gear id on the end of shaft Ida. One end of the input shaft 2!! is telescoped within a member dd which is provided with helical slots illc previously described in connection with sleeve 22. is mounted in the shaft Eli and extends into the helical slots so that relative rotation between the member 20 and the member til will cause a relative axial shifting between the two members.

The member till is formed with an extension at which leads to a valve housing 52. At the end of the extension BI is a recess 53 in which is slidably mounted a valve fi l. This valve Hi l is composed of a cylindrical member having spaced re stricted portions 55 and bit. Also mounted in the housing $2 is a piston all having a rod tit errtending therethrough. One end of the rod is controlled by a spring t9 which centers the piston Si in a cylinder til by reason of the action of suitable collars and pins on the rod W. The other end of the rod is connected to a lever ti which is pivoted at $2 and connected at its other Passageways 63 and ti lead from the valve opening lit to the respective ends of cylinder till. A pressure passageway db leads from a pump to the valve 'recess and passageways til lead to the tanlr.

With the motor it in operation, when the hand-wheel 2! is stationary, the valve m and the piston it! will be centered so that pressure from conduit 65 may pass the restrictions in the valve to the tank ports lit. Movement of the hand shaft 2!], permitted by the yieldable connection between the shaft and the gear collar it, will cause a shifting of valve lit because of the screw action of the pin 50 in the helical slots file. A

. shifting of the valve lit to the right, for example,

will open the pressure port fit to the cylinder port b ll and the cylinder port 63 will be connected to A pin Jail 52,311,0lfl) arrow. This rotation of shaft It will cause the be a movement of the gear collar it. This gear collar id is slidably splined to the member Gil so that this member will rotate, thus tending to move the pin bit in the helical slots back to its original neutral position. Consequently, in order to maintain a constant movement of the output shaft lta, it is essential that the manual input shaft til be continuously rotated.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 7 is similar to that described in connection with Fig. 6 except that an electrical circuit is used to supplant the hydraulic circuit of Fig. 6. In Fig. '7 a shaft id is connected tothe lever iii and this shaft has its ends mounted, respectively, in solenoids "ill and, ill. An operating switch for the solenoids is shown generally at it. This switch has a control element it which is adapted to be shifted by linkage it and a lever it, the latter being controlled by the movement of a member iller. The movement of the member 19a is controlled as was the member id by movement of the input shaft fitl and the pin till. From the electrical circuit shown in the drawings, it will be clear that when the input shaft 2b is rotated, the switch 173 will be closed in one direction or the other and solenoid 'H or 72 will be energized. This will cause a shifting of the member iii and. engagement of one of the clutches by the movement of sleeve it. The. response movement is transmitted as previously described, through gear ill and the gear collar fit.

In each of the above embodiments of the invention, the speed of the operating shaft may be definitely controlled by the speed of the input shaft since any tendency for the output shaft to gain upon the input shaft will be immediately counteracted by the response movement of sleeve 22 in Fig. l and gears id in Figs. 6 and '7.

in each of the'above mechanisms it is also possible to sheet direct manual control of the power shafts in case of power failure at it. For example, in Fig. 1, the free wheeling clutches Zita and fi ls permit driving of tube 22 by shaft 20 if the engagement of the clutches 28 or 29 is ineffectiv because of power failure. In Fig. 6, in case of power failure at iii, the hydraulic control pressure may be shut off to permit direct manual control and similarly, in Fig. 7, the electric power may be cutout.

Each of the above mechanisms is arranged to check kick-back or kick-ahead forces which may act on the driven member It. These kicking forces are transmitted to the clutch it and flywheel H2. T e clutch limits the force which may be transmitted to the motor and th flywheel acts similarly to protect the motor against these forces.

I claim:

In a follow-up device, an operating member, a constantly operated power means, oppositely rotating means driven by said power means, clutch means arranged to connect one or the other of said oppositely rotating means to said operating member, and means to cause engagement of one or the other of said clutch means comprising a control shaft, a second shaft operably connected to said operating member, means connecting said control shaft and said second shaft whereby a relative rotation will resuit in an axial movement between said shafts, clutch engaging means, and means operably connecting said second shaft with said clutch engaging means whereby relative slidable movement between said shafts will result in engagement of one of said clutches.

r 2. In a follow-up device, an operating member, a constantly operated power means, oppositely rotating means driven by said power means, clutch means arranged to connect one or the other of said oppositely rotating means to said operating member, and means to cause engagement of one or the other of said clutch ,means comprising a control shaft, 2. second shaft diafts whereby movement of said operating.

member will tend to nullify the efiect of the" movement of said control shaft.

3. In a follow-up device, an operating shaft, a constantly operated power means, oppositely rotating means driven by said power means, clutch means arranged to connect one or the other of said oppositely rotating means to said operating shaft, and means to cause engagement of one or the other of said clutch means comprising a hand operated shaft, a second shaft connected to said operating shaft and telescoping with said hand operated shaft, means connecting said hand operated shaft and said telescoping shaft whereby a relative rotation will result in an axial movement between said shafts, clutch engaging means and means operably connecting said hand operated and said telescoping shafts with said clutch engaging means whereby axial movement between-said shafts will result in engagement of one of said clutches.

i. In a follow-up device, an operating shaft, a constantly operated power means, oppositely rotating means driven by said power means, clutch means arranged to connect one or the other of said oppositely rotating means to said operating shaft, each of said clutch means comprising an outer ring gear driven by one of said rotating means, an inner clutch collar operativeiy connected to said operating shaft by freewheeling connecting means, and friction discs between said ring gears and said inner clutch collanand means to cause engagement of one or the other of said clutch means comprising a hand operated shaft, is second shaft connected to said operating shaft and telescoping with said hand operated shaft, means connecting said hand operated shaft and said telescoping shaft whereby a relative rotation will result in an axial movement between said shafts, clutch engaging means and means operably connecting said hand operated and said telescoping shafts with said clutch engaging means whereby axial movement between said shafts will result in engagement of one of said clutches, said free-wheeling connecting means being so arranged that said operating shaft may be moved directly by movement of said hand operated shaft in the event of a failure of said power means.

5. In a follow-up device, an operating shaft, a constantly operated power means, oppositely rotating means driven by said power means, clutch means arranged to connect one or the other of said oppositely rotating means to said operating shaft, means to cause engagement of one orthe other of said clutch means, a fluid operated piston connected to said clutch engaging means, a cylinder surrounding said piston; a source of fluid pressure, valve means for directing fluid pressure to one end or the other of said piston means to engage one or the other of said clutches, manually operable means, comprising a rotatable shaft, and means connecting said shaft with said valve whereby rotation of said shaft will cause a shifting of said valve, to connect pressure to one end or the other of said piston, and means connected to said operating shaft for counteracting the effect of movement of said manually operated shaft.

6. In a follow-up device, an operating shaft, a constantly operated power means, oppositely rotating means driven by said power means, clutch means arranged to connect one or the other of said oppositely rotating means to said operating shaft, means to cause engagement of one or the other of said clutch means, electrically operated means to cause movement of said clutch engaging means from a neutral position to one of its operative positions, switch means to cause actuation of said electrically operated means, a rotatable hand input shaft and means connecting said input-shaft to said switch means whereby rotation of said input shaft will cause engagement of one or the other of saidclutches. and means operated by said operating shaft to nullify the eflect of said input shaft whereby a continued movement of said hand input shaft is required to effect continued movement of said operating shaft.

HARRY F. VICKERS. 

